Europe set for three races on successive weekends
source: autosport.com
Brands Hatch is poised to replace Rockingham as the UK venue for the 2003
round of the CART Championship Series.
The Kent track is likely to be joined by Spa-Francorchamps and Estoril on
successive weekends in May as the championship goes on the offensive against its
rival the Indy Racing League and its centrepiece, the Indianapolis 500.
The Rockingham oval looks set to split with CART unless its bosses can
renegotiate its contract with the series after incurring heavy losses from the
two races held at the venue.
Brands Hatch hosted a one-off CART race back in 1978 and its inclusion on the
calendar would mark its return to the top flight single seater stage for the
first time since it hosted its last British Grand Prix in 1986.
The Belgian government's decision to relax its anti-tobacco legislation has
paved the way for Spa to maintain a presence on the international single seater
scene. The circuit has lost its place on the Formula 1 calendar for next year.
As for the Portuguese Estoril track, it has long been said that CART wanted a
venue in southern Europe, particularly since the only Champ Car race on the
continent, at Germany's Eurospeedway Lausitz, was dropped this year.
The addition of the three European races would probably see CART dropping the
Chicago race from its schedule. The event has struggled financially in recent
years, and CART was forced to take over the organisation of the race this year.
CART boss Chris Pook has yet to comment on the story.